Article by
Fernella Wedderburn

Published on
July 27, 2018

The business executive Charles Herbert, one of three men who have dominated the news since Tuesday, after it was revealed that they were arrested on drug charges, has gone public to protest his innocence.

Herbert, the chairman of Goddard Enterprises Limited (GEL) and head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, along with non-executive director Chris Rogers and GEL employee Walter Oneal Prescod, was today charged with four drugs offences, including importation of 267 pounds of cannabis, estimated by police to have a street value of $534,160.

They were also charged with possession, possession with intent to supply and trafficking of the drug on July 23. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

However, after posting $400, 000 bail with two sureties the 62-year-old Herbert, of Redland Plantation, St George, spoke publicly about the charge against him and the 56-year-old Rogers of #27 York Road, Navy Gardens, Christ Church, insisting they were both innocent.

“I first want to assert clearly to the public that we are entirely innocent of all of the charges that have been brought and we have been charged with,” the Goddard boss said, making no reference to Prescod, who in 2001 had pleaded guilty and was jailed for 12 years for importation and possession of 250 pounds of marijuana on March 3, 2000.

Drug accused Charles Herbert (centre) is calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions Donna Babb-Agard, QC, to urgently review evidence in his case. Here he is flanked by co-accused Chris Rogers (left), as well as family members and supporters. (Pictures by Kemar Holder.)

“I want to say clearly to you all that all of the evidence that they [police] have clearly supports our innocence,” said Herbert, who along with Rogers and Prescod, spent the last four days being questioned by lawmen.

He also called on the Director of Public Prosecutions Donna Babb-Agard, QC, “to urgently review the evidence that has been collected and to preserve the integrity of our police force in bringing these charges against us”.

Acting on a tip off, members of the Drug Squad found the contraband on Monday aboard the yacht Ecstasy, owned by Goddard Enterprises Limited. All three men were onboard the vessel at the time.

Without stating why he felt the two were not guilty, Herbert said he was “shocked” by the charges levelled against him and his colleague, stating:

“We can only assume that the people who made the decision lack the courage to stand by the truth that they themselves have uncovered and that they are sworn to uphold.”

The businessman also took a shot at the media, along with posters on social media, complaining they had tried “to convict us before we were even charged and when they have no knowledge of any of the evidence”. “This is not the country that I live in, that we convict people without knowing any evidence,” he said, charging that a country that “wants blood” was turning him into a sacrificial lamb.

“We are coming out of a time in Barbados where the population feels that they have been taken advantage of by some politicians and business people and our country wants blood. But it is not our job to give the blood of innocent people, but I understand the demand and the concern that the country has in wanting somebody to blame for the situation that we are in, but I am not that person,” he said as members of his and Rogers’ family stood behind them for support.

Herbert, who Goddard said in a brief statement yesterday remains at chairman even as his deputy, William Putnam was named acting chairman, said he would make a determination on his future as chairman and head of the private sector give the current situation.

“I have to review whether I am even able to do so while a charge of drug trafficking hangs over my head and challenges my credibility. Any decision that I make will be in the interest of the company that I represent. If my continuing harms them then I will not continue. If I hurt the credibility of the private sector then I will certainly resign my position,” he added.

About half an hour prior to Herbert’s statement to the media in the courtyard, police had asked reporters to clear the area near the stairs of the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court as uniformed officers escorted the three men inside.

The prosecutor, Station Sergeant Samuel Hinds, objected to bail for all three, based on the seriousness of the indictable charges as well as the fact that the accused men had access to vessels and could “readily flee the country if they so desired”.

However, attorneys Andrew Pilgrim, QC, and Kamisha Benjamin disagreed, arguing that their clients, Herbert and Rogers, were fit candidates for bail and that the prosecution’s objections did not hold water as the two men were born and bred Barbadians with strong family ties and business interests. Pilgrim also pointed out that people charged in the past in connection with higher quantities of drugs had been granted bail.

Pilgrim further argued that the vessel on which the contraband was found was currently with police and no arrangements had been made for its release.

Attorneys-at-law Shadia Simpson and Arthur Holder are representing Prescod. However, Holder was not in court today because he was performing his duties as Speaker of the House.

It was left to Simpson to plead on Prescod’s behalf and she argued that her client was a good candidate for bail despite his previous convictions for similar charges, reminding the court that the last offence was some 17 years ago.

The third accused in the drug case, Walter Prescod, could not make bail today and was remanded to Dodds.

Furthermore, she stated that Prescod was an employee of Goddard Enterprises and did not own the vessel.

After mulling over the arguments Magistrate Douglas Frederick agreed with the defence.

Herbert must report to the District ‘F’ Police Station every Wednesday by 10 a.m. and Rogers to the Hastings Police Station every Wednesday by 10 a.m. The businessmen, who return to court on November 6, also had to surrender their travel documents to the court.

However, Prescod, who was offered bail of $450,000 bail because of his previous convictions, was remanded because his surety did not make it to court in time.

Barbados the most easterly of the Caribbean islands has a population of 280.000

Although 95% black (266.000 ) and 5% white ( 14.000) the 5% control the entire Island.

Voting in Barbados is similar to voting in the USA . . . . .for exp:

(a) In the USA the citizens vote but the Electoral College selects the President.

(b) In Barbados the black people vote but the white people select the Prime Minister.

Also in Barbados a black person will go to jail for 6 months stealing a pint and a half bottle of white rum while white folks can commit murder and run drugs then go to the media and say ” we are innocent ” .

Race relations in Barbados are so very very bad that any interracial couple seen together in Barbados are presumed to be from another country because in Barbados it’s a cardinal sin for blacks and whites to mix with each other.

In Barbados you will not find White bajans using public transportation either do they live in board houses. Every white bajan has a car and white bajans only live in wall upstairs houses or
bungalows.

White folks in Barbados do not have ” blue collar ” jobs (carpenters, masons, plumbers , electricians etc ) it’s below them to have these kind of jobs.

Neither will you see a white taxi driver, a white Police officer, a white garbage collector or a white firefighter etc , like you do see in other international countries.

And Barbadians hate to admit that there is a race problem in Barbados , Barbadians will jump at every opportunity to discuss how bad race relations are in the U S A , England , Canada but they will put their tails between their legs and run away like a lost puppy when the time comes to discuss racism in
BUHBADOS _ BARBADOS _ BIM _ LITTLE ENGLAND _ LAND of THE SEA and SUN_ THE GEM OF THE CARIBBEAN _

. . . and to add one more name ONE OF THE MOST
RACIST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

. . . . oh , and by the way please correct me if I am wrong but can Barbados also be called ” The wag the dog island ” ?

I asked this question because with 5% controlling 95% that is similar to ” the tail wagging the dog” instead of ” the dog wagging the tail “

Ossie : America knew that Ted Bundy was not innocent , but in White Island _Buhbados _ Barbados _ Bim _ The World’s most Beautiful Country _ The GEM of the Caribbean _ Land of the Sea and SUN , it’s very very easy for whites to convince The Police , The Judicial system and black Barbadians that they are innocent. . . they don’t even have to try . . .

Question for Black Bajans : When was the last time you saw a black policeman issuing a traffic ticket ( reporting ) a white person in Barbados ?

As a person who has lived all over the world I can definitely tell any bajan ( and black bajans please pay close attention ) race relations in THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA are 1000% much better than race relations in Barbados,

While I’ve got you attention bajans I’ll go off on a tangent here for a while so please pardon me for a while and please accept my apology .

Bajans ! You are in dire need of daylight saving Time ( D S T ).

Being the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands at 5 am in the morning the sun is almost halfway up in the sky which means that you have a surplus of wasted daylight in the morning.

While at 6:30 PM being in Barbados is like living in a cave . . dark , dark , dark

Now move the clock forward one hour and that wasted daylight in the early morning will give you an extra hour surplus of nice, kool , yellow light at 7 Pm in the evening which will give you some more family and recreational time.

Stop wasting you daylight bajans ! ! ! ! Dont say anything about Tom Adams trying it and didn’t like it . That was then this is now. . . .

Until we serve equal justice and hold those accountable for their criminal actions, respect for our justice system will never be the same. I said this before if you are on your private boat and the police gets a tip off that you were trafficking narcotics, it’s a very plain case that you have to be the boss planner. What should have happened the police should have followed all three to see where the narcotics were going and in whose car. Now they want the law and the media to look like they are being bias or racist.
This is is serious matter that I’m positive will not rest until justice is served. If nothing comes out of this I would never have any respect to our justice system for to long such matters swept under the carpet, this time do not take Barbadians for fools. Any fisherman caught with such a catch will be prosecuted and jailed. His integrity has already been tarnished and making a spectacle of himself after being released on bail, soooo if you don’t want to go to Dodds, stay away from Drugs.

As I said many times before, only black people commit crime in Barbados…… You cannot interfere with the white folk them they are the ones in charge, they will gang up together ………….
But this time the world is informed and watching , …. This is (2+1) See what happen the……. one …………nobody seems to care about him, so he is sent to DODDS… It would have been easier if they were all white , they would have gotten away already……………………….

Jr … please read before you write. His wife cares about him.the story said his surety did get there in time but he will court on Monday to get his chance at freedom. MUFF people care about him.most the people who have been commenting on this issue portray him as an innocent black victim who followed the dictates of his white masters blindly. In other words, they are saying blacks in barbads despite educational access are so stupid they do exactly as they are told. That black people voted for a government because the white people said so.if that were so that the hotel wants the bees as it is their people, why does barbados change a government generally every 10 years. Do the whites sleep every ten years? 12 years ago, who was instructing the brainless fishermen.

You all need to stop the race bating behavior. Look at the pass history of Mr. Prescott behavior having been convicted on the same drugs importing back in 2001. He spend 12 years for that crime. He did it again unknown to his crew mate’s. If it was any of us black white or brown it will be the same scenario. Drugs onboard the boat you are traveling on. Deal with the facts.

And you want us to believe this is first time they brought in drugs in Bim. Oh ok. Night does run till day catch um. You mean to tell me that the black man smuggled 3 million dollars worth of dope on the yacht and the white men didn’t know? Yea right.

So these two men. Hired a man without checking for a certificate of character and let him somehow manage to take their ship to another country, load the drugs on, spend 500000 on them, return the boat for them to board it and re-enter the country to be caught. Allllllll this happened with those two oblivious to what was happening? White Barbados boy smh

Niel Harper being emotional have clearly bline you and cloud your judgement. Take race out of this case and understand its merits. Mr Prescott is an convicted drug smuggler. That’s a fact. I will leave it at that.

Steve Rock, I agree with you. Mr. Prescott served 12 years in prison for drug smuggling, and he is at it again. I guess he thought it would be safe if he abused the trust of the individuals who owns the vessel.

Have you ever heard of someone importing drugs on the same vessel as the transporter?Doesn’t the fact that this man is a habituous drug smuggler makes more sense to you or are you just focussing on the money and race factor?

There is a saying which goes like this”even a fool when silent is considered wise”Mr Herbert it would have served you better to keep your mouth shut. Seems to me that you are dictating to the DPP, it does not work so my dear chap and that is elementary. The matter at hand is one of an indictable nature and basically, you will face a judge and jury, the jury will be selected from your peers who incidentally will be members of the public your bullish attitude is doing you no good if you are as innocent as you claim then as you said the facts will determine this. Being critical of the media in its various forums will not also be in your best interest people will talk and have their views and opinions no one is exempt from scrutiny especially in matters like these you are not above reproach, my advice to you and I am aware that you do not need my advice, but if I were you I would have the right to remain silent.

Wowwww arrogance is plastered all over this man . I think he believes he is Donald Trump’s lolll
I don’t think he was ever held accountable for anything in his entire life.
That’s why he should have spent a couple nights in HMPD.
Well hon yuh guilty that yacht is not a cruise liner and there’s no way you didn’t know it was on board .
Please do not insult my intelligence by feigning innocence do not be under the misconception that because you had the power a few months ago to make the foolish bajans walk behind you in the hot sun , that you have the same power now!!!!!

Nick HL Beckles how do you know that?Why would men with money want to get on the same boat with a drug smuggler with petty weight?People are paid to do that job.There is the transporter at sea and the transporter on land.Your comment doesn’t make any sense at all.

Bee jinx you asking the DPP to review the charges against You, sir one man ain’t bring all dem drugs on board your yacht where you asleep at the bottom of that yacht, now listen wait to the case call you and your lawyers will have wunna time in court so just shut up

(1) WHITE Canadian Priest strangles his wife and 5 years old son ( early 70’s ) and walks away freely to Canada and innocent black Wingrove Brathwaite is framed and hung in WHITE OWNED BLACK Bubados _ Barbados for the murders.

(2) WHITE MAN in Buhbados _ Barbados murders his son and he walks away free.

(3) WHITE WOMAN goes missing in Buhabdos _ Barbados and white people form white gangs and threaten to shoot up and kill black bajans if this white woman is not found within a period of time.

(4) WHITE people caught financing the importation of drugs into Barbados and are allowed to ” thumb their white noses’ at the black judicial system and black Police Dept. which is WHITE OWNED.

Well Rockie boy . . ..and I’m dealing with the facts , had your boys been caught by the WHITE U S A COAST GUARD you all would have been kissing your as** good bye all like now.

If this Prescott is a known drug dealer who did time for these activities, how is it that he is in the company of these upstanding citizens on their boat? It wasn’t precotts boat but theirs. 3 million dollars worth of drugs can’t be easy to hide on a boat of that size. It’s not like it was a cruise ship, calling it a yacht was a stretch. We know Prescott will take the rap for this one. He can’t make bail and can’t plead his innocence to the media. I hope he can at least afford a good lawyer but I doubt that as well.

Beckles and Holmes: I cannot put it any better than the two (2) of you. BUT the black gentleman will spend another 12 years in prison. I wish him all the luck in the world. He will need it. The other two gentlemen lives will go on as usual. Sad!!!.

Some soundbites from THE ACCUSED DRUG RUNNERS ” dog and pony show ” PRESS CONFERENCE ( which was memorized from a legally ” HEAVILY LAWYERED and EDITED ” prepared statement

Sound bite _ 1 : I want first want to assert clearly to the public that we are entirely innocent of all the charges that we’ve been charged with.

Ossie : Being a white bajan from the day you were born in Barbados you were , are and will always be innocent of any charges that are being brought against you in WHITE owned buhbados _ Barbados.

Sound bite _ 2 : I want to thank the drug squad and the CID for handling this matter in a very professional way , they’ve work exceeding hard over the last 4 days to assemble evidence related to this case.

Ossie Moore : When ” palms are being greased ” people tend to work very hard and of course you also thank them for sweeping evidence under the carpet.

Ossie Moore : I can understand WHITE BABADOS being shocked about charges being brought against them because charges are never brought against white bajans in Barbados.

Sound bite _ 3 : I want to say that I am totally disappointed in some of the media I am not going to name which ones of you ,and social media for trying to convict us before we were even charged and when they have no knowledge of the evidence.This is not the country that I live in that we convict people without knowing the evidence.

Ossie Moore : The media in 95% black barbados is white owned so I can understand your frustrations and being surprised that they are now reporting that white bajans have been caught running drugs when the media has always been in your favor. You might have control over the Barbados media but you can’t control THE WORLD WHITE OWNED SOCIAL MEDIA.
The country that you live in is one of the most racist countries in the world where it is prohibited from discussing the rapidly deteriorating black / white race relations.

Sound bite _ 4 : I want to call on the Director of Public Prosecution to urgently review the evidence that has been collected and to preserve the integrity of our Police Force in bringing these charges against us.

Ossie Moore : Druggers thanking the Police for arresting them ? ? ? ? This smells as fishy and salty as the waters of the Caribbean sea. And of course with the amount of ” palms being greased ” everything will be done very quickly.
Man after this case has been dismissed and everyone has been found not guilty ( except the black man ) law enforcement officials in Buhabdos _ Barbados are going to be able to go on some very expensive paid for vacations worldwide.

The world needs to hear , when these 2 white men and black man got together, where and when …… they are claiming they innocents , let them prove it…………….What we need the (FBI) to be involve , this vessel was out of Barbados for sometime……

All I gonna say is this fishy all around it don’t make no sense I would like to see all three statements or stories until such am gonna say innocent until proven guilty, it’s in the best place the courts where I hope justice system will determine the truth and work it way up

@Ageless – Spot on. Sickening. Clearly still in that untouchable plantation/master mode.
@Robin John – exactly. And that is why these 2 moguls hired Prescod, because of his record/history – his ability to get things done sort of thing. As I said he will become their hot potato.

@Ossie Moore – brilliant sound bites analysis. U should have used sarcastic, pat on the back in the 2nd one. Black people are no longer being sold, but now being bought. And don’t bother with this Steve Rock fella, he is only defending his people (good for u Steve)- Something black people is yet to start doing.

“267 pounds of cannabis, estimated by police to have a street value of $534,160”. The CBC news said $3 million and Barbados Today is saying $534,160. one of these news agencies is promoting FAKE NEWS. Which one? The news agencies must recognise their credibility is at stake. They must seek to clarify their correct reporting of the facts or people will assume they are bought out also!

JENNIFER SAYS : ” Black people are no longer being sold, but now being bought. And don’t bother with this Steve Rock fella, he is only defending his people (good for u Steve)- Something black people is yet to start doing.

You say you 2 are innocent,but the
Law court will try you and charge / fine both of you half million each to be paid in 14 days of 5 years in Dodds. Then you will appeal all the way to the CCJ and win them sue the Crown for false arrest.

The case against these two well heel big ups gine slowly disappear some backroom deals brewing and Mr Prescod gine be left holding the bag.If this had not hit the public domain no one would have heard about it.

Barbados Today, you say “All three men were onboard the vessel at the time”.
Are you sure?
Because from what I been told the boat came in and cleared customs that morning and everybody left and 4 hours later the police called them back to search the boat. If that is so what happened in the time that the boat was left with no one there?

Also why would these white men be so foolish to be on the same boat as the drugs? They couldnt pay somebody to bring the boat back?

Barbados 2.0 I heard the same thing that they left the boat and were called back later by the police.If that being the case the boat was left unattended during this time.Also why would they leave a “valuable cargo” unattended, and please only the media and their sources said 3m the true amount was confirmed by the police yesterday.The same media also said initially it was cocaine and it turned out to be marijuana. It wasn’t a press conference but he was asked by the assembled media to comment and took the opportunity to declare his innocence what do you expect him to do say i am guilty mea culpa!!Also if these are rich entitled men as social media and the trolls profess then why on earth would they be on the same boat as the shipment, on a boat they are connected to for what in their world is a measly $500,000 BDS! out of which they would have to pay the initial cost, all the pay offs and what split it three ways so what less than $100,000 profit each??Rogers salary as a director last year was reputed to be in excess of $400.000 and thats not his day job.Herbert in addition to his Directorships was and still maybe the only actuarial scientist in Barbados .cant even begin to guess his income.Please people do the math and if not that then use common sense.

Big Man- so you expect these Big ups to risk everything for this? I thought they were the type of people who don’t like to get their own hands dirty? you can’t have it both ways. But seriously I don’t see this going down the way it has been portrayed. The package is too neatly wrapped and it doesn’t make common sense.

I experienced two situations where one of my neighbor’s was stashing drugs behind my paling and in a vehicle which I once owned and had park in front my house for sometime awaiting parts from UK to do repairs (the door on the driver’s side had a faulty lock and could not be locked) that was 1995.I shudder even now when I think that I could have been implicated in something that I was completely innocent.There are some very selfish and uncaring people in this world and I have learnt to be extra cautious and to take nothing for granted.Just to be implicated in drug dealings is a scourge that one will never be able to outlive so it is very important to know your associations.

Throw the black christian to the lions…… I am hoping this becomes a regional matter, where in the region this yacht travel to ….
I want to get the US involve some how , thats the only way we are going to see justice…………………………..
Why the black man is not claiming his innocents as well, is he the fall guy………………..